State, ACLU Settle Suit on Unequal Education.

• Californnia to set aside 1 Billion to Improve Schools

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration and the American Civil Liberties Union have tentatively settled a major education lawsuit that accused the state of denying poor children adequate textbooks, trained teachers and safe classrooms, lawyers for both sides said Tuesday. The proposed agreement would require the state to devote as much as $1 billion over a period of several years for 2,400 low-performing schools to repair deteriorating facilities and $50 million to assess such needs. It also would provide nearly $139 million this year for textbooks. The lawsuit, which was filed in May 2000 in San Francisco Superior Court, alleged that the state deprives tens of thousands of low-income students the necessities for a quality education, such as adequately trained teachers, functioning toilets, modern textbooks, and proper heat and air conditioning. [more ] and [more ]